The candy cane is a decorative item for Christmas. It is widely believed that the candy, which earlier was straight as a stick, was given its distinctive J-shape by a German choirmaster. It is said that during service one evening, the children were very noisy. To keep them quiet, he gave each of them a long, white, sugar candy stick. Since giving candies at church was considered sacrilegious, he bent each of these sticks at one end to make it look like a shepherd’s cane. And thus, he attached a religious significance to them. In Christianity, Jesus is regarded as the Good Shepherd, and so, the staff is considered to be a sacred symbol. The staff also represents the shepherd who came to visit the infant Jesus. The candy canes became popular when a German-Swedish immigrant in Wooster, Ohio, decided to string them on his Christmas tree as decorations. Of course, now it is a popular tradition everywhere.
The Candy Cane
